Tánaiste unveils two new special classes in Waterford
Minister of State John Cummins, TD and Tánaiste Simon Harris where greeted by a guard of honour when they visited St. Ursula's Primary School , to officially open the new class rooms. Photo: Joe Evans
On Friday, February 13 - a day typically associated with bad luck that was accompanied by a bitter, callous breeze - a sense of warm relief washed over a small group of parents at St. Ursula’s primary school.
Those parents got to witness the Tánaiste Simon Harris cut the ribbon for two new special classes in a modular unit that will provide a dedicated classroom to cater to their children with additional needs.
Under previous arrangements, some of the parents in question had to embark on daily 72-kilometre round-trips to access special classrooms.
The unit took a year to build and will also have a sensory room for students. Previously, the same children with additional needs studied in mainstream classes and were accompanied by six special assistants.
Touring through the primary school, the Tánaiste met the near-700-strong student population, greeted the parents of children with additional needs, and heard from members of the student council.
“We have lots of conversation in our country about inclusion and diversity, and about how we do it and how we must do it better, and then you come to schools and you realise you guys are just ahead of society,” the Tánaiste said.
“I’m most particularly delighted to be here today and have the chance to meet so many students and parents.
“There’s so much negativity and toxicity in the world, this is the antidote to all of that.”
Catriona Daly, Principal of St Ursula’s Primary School, said that the students in the special classes have been “thriving” in their new environment.
“They're just absolutely flourishing in our special classes. So we couldn't be happier to be able to bring those examples to you today.
“To our pupils who would learn in these new classes. This space is for you, girls. It's a place where you will feel safe, understood and supported, and where we hope you will be very happy.
“It is a place where your talents will be discovered, your achievements celebrated, and your voice is heard.
“You are an important and valued part of our St Ursula’s family and we're so proud of you.”
The Tánaiste said the country still faces “challenges.”
“Yes, we have so much more to do, but to see schools now embracing special classes and special education is going to change lives, and change lives for the better,” he said.
Those challenges likely refer to the extensive waiting times that children seeking assessments of need face. The assessment of needs provides a diagnosis of disability. The assessment is currently a necessity for children hoping to gain access to a special classroom.
Newest figures show that over 20,000 children are overdue an assessment of need.
While there is a statutory requirement to complete this assessment within six months of initial application, extensive public backlogs have forced many parents to pay thousands to go the private route.
News of potential SNA job cuts also looms.
The Tánaiste said the Government were working to remove the “silos” that exist between the Department of Health and Education.
“We’re starting to roll out a programme of putting therapists in schools, a week ago we announced 45 special schools in the country that will now have speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists,” the Tánaiste said to the Waterford News & Star.
“The plan is to then roll that out to special classes in mainstream schools…we did increase disability funding by €680 million in the budget.”
The Tánaiste also visited the progressing Surgical Hub at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) and Summerfields housing estate development at Kilbarry.
